Cassette and intimate system of washing soiled fabrics and material

ABSTRACT

A washing apparatus and system wherein soiled material is fed between impervious belts and onto a drum into a cassette with washing liquid. The weight of said belts and soiled material compresses the soiled material and belts together at the top of the drum which move apart relative to each other at the lower zone of said drum, said movement subjecting said soiled material to a washing action. There is intimate contact between the flat soiled material between two successive layers of belts and the washing liquid. The cassette can function to wash the soiled material separately from any subsequent treatment.

United States Patent [1 1 Buss et a1.

[ CASSETTE AND INTIMATE SYSTEM OF WASHING SOILED FABRICS AND MATERIAL [76] Inventors: Benjamin Alvin Buss; Donald C. Buss, both of 1315-23rd Avenue Court, East Moline, 111. 61244 [22] Filed: Aug. 10, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 170,549

[ 1 May 1, 1973 Primary Examiner-William 1. Price Att0rneyD. Vemer Smythe et all.

[ ABSTRACT A washing apparatus and system wherein soiled material is fed between impervious belts and onto a drum into a cassette with washing liquid. The weight of said belts and soiled material compresses the soiled material and belts together at the top of the drum which move apart relative to each other at the lower zone of said drum, said movement subjecting said soiled material to a washing action. There is intimate contact between the flat soiled material between two successive layers of belts and the washing liquid. The cassette can function to wash the soiled material separately from any subsequent treatment.

13 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures 2ND RlNSE must 3 Patented May 1, 1973 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 muse n U2; ND 2.; nz mx M 0% Z M m ww O W J0. A M E W 5 m o Patented May 1, 1973 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG FIG .8

INVENTORS BENJAMIN M V/N Baas NAZDC. 505$ 7128 ATTO R N EY-$ CASSETTE AND INTIMATE SYSTEM OF WASHING SOILED FABRICS AND MATERIAL This invention relates to a washing method and apparatus for processing soiled fabric or material.

In commercial laundries, it is desirable to provide economical, automatic, continuous, high-speed processing of soiled fabrics or material. The problem of obtaining proper removal of soil is especially difficult when there is medium or heavy soil. High operating costs and costly machinery maintenance has been another matter difficult to reduce. In order to remove soil in the relatively few seconds allotted to the wash operation which includes wetting of the material, application of detergent, time to allow chemical action of the detergent and loosening and removal of soil from the fabric, excessively high liquid jet spray pressures and high liquid temperatures have been required. Such has necessitated expensive motor-driven pumps for the high pressure sprays. Because of the high liquid temperatures, pump operating problems, such as cavitation, can result. Another problem in the prior art has been time consumed in preparation and feeding of the soiled material and preparation of washed and extracted material to be fed to a finisher such as an ironer.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved manner of treatment in the washing or removal of soil from soiled textiles and materials.

Another of the objects of the invention is to provide more efficacious use ofequipment.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a simple system for washing soiled material.

In one aspect of the invention, a drum or reel is arranged to have a substantially liquid impervious belt wound thereon, the soiled articles, such as sheets and the like, being placed on the belts and wound therewith onto the drum so that, in effect, a cassette is the result. Washing liquid, such as a detergent solution orv other treatment liquids can be sprayed onto the material to be cleaned. As the drum rotates, the belts and materials at the upper part will compress relative to each other due to gravity and will separate at the bottom zone in an alternate squeezing and releasing operation so as to cause a rubbing or washing action. The clothes or bed sheets are in intimate contact with the beltsand the entrapped liquid. The cassette can be loaded, stored or rotated, and then unloaded into a material treating system including rinsing, extracting, drying, ironing and stacking as desired.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description and drawings which are merely exemplary.

In the drawings:

FIG. I is a block diagram of a cassette showing one manner of carrying out the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of one of thecassette units;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the loadingmeans for the cassette shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a complete washing system using the unit ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of a drum having an embossed film or belt wound thereon with material to be washed between layers thereof;

FIG. 6 is a partial view of a drum having the film of FIG. 5 thereon;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6 showing the interlocking edges; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a drum such as in FIG. 1.

The same reference numerals will be used to designate similar parts where appropriate in the various figures of the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustration depicting one system of washing wherein a drum, reel or cassette" is loaded at station 10 with fabric or material to be washed. It is especially useful with flat material such as bed sheets or the like. The loaded cassette can be stored, if desired, at station 11 so that loosening of the soil can take place. The cassette is unloaded at 12 and the fabric material subjected to rinses at station 13. The rinsed material is carried by suitable conveyors to an extract zone 14, drying zone 15, and then to folding and stacking zones 16, 17.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, frame 20 has core 21 rotatably mounted thereon, the core or reel being rotatable by any suitable means such as motor 22. Nonforaminous belt supply reel 23 also is rotatably mounted on frame 20. The belt or support 24 can be flat and of a non-foraminous character such as polyethylene plastic. As will be described hereafter, the belt can also be other than flat. The belt 24 unwinds from reel 23 over guide 25 onto core 21. The soiled work is fed onto the belt as it is rolled up onto the core into a cassette.

As seen in FIG. 3, soiled material 26, such as a bed sheet, to be washed can be fed from hamper or container 27 onto conveyor 28 by a spreader-feeder 29. If desired, a quality or soil scanner means 30 can be provided. Spray nozzles 31 spray liquidand detergent in a jet onto the soiled material 26 as it passes onto the belt 24 at zone 32. As the material enters the drum 21, it passes between the portion of the belt upon which it rests and the outer surface of the belt atzone 33 previously wound onto the drum.

Drip tank 34 can be placed under the drum. Tank 34 also could be filled with detergent solution or washing liquid so that the cassette can be rotated therethrough.

The core 21 preferably is of some compressible material such as a flexible foam. In the form shown in FIG. 8, drum 35 has a compressible material 36 thereon. Drum 35 is similar to drum 2] and can be rotatably mounted in frame 20.

As the material 37 and belt 38 are wound onto the core at 39 (FIG. 8), the weight thereof will tend to compress the previously wound portion of the belt and materialat the top or upper zone 40 of the drum 35. The compressible material will be compressed at 41 and along with it, the layers of belts and the material being washed which is held therebetween. Rotation of the drum provides a scrubbing action caused by weight of the load and water for loosening of the soil. The

material and belt will be in an oval shape on the core.

The edges of the belt can be arranged or dimensioned so that the liquid that has been sprayed onto the work as it enters is trapped therein. Thus, there is a working of the material and liquid as the drum rotates so as to furnish a mechanical washing action.

After the drumis loaded, the cassette unit 20 can be moved on its wheels 42 and the rotation of the drum continued as long as desired. Also, the drum can be permitted to be stationary so that the soaking and loosening of soil can be continued. Thus, the washing action and unit can be made independent of the remainder of the cycle.

A preferred form of the belt is illustrated in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 wherein the surface is embossed. This form is particularly useful when there is heavy soil in which the detergent chemical solution needs to be presentin excess over that required for saturation of the material. The excess solution will be entrapped between the layers of embossed belts. In the form shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, the belts 43 may have embossments which are in diamond-shaped patterns 44, such as to per inch. The material 45 to be washed is between the embossed belts 43. The linear edges of the sheet may have a series of embossed ridges 46 (FIGS. 6, 7) which will tend to seal the sides of the wound belts and prevent or minimize leakage of free water. Thus, a certain amount of free water and detergent solution will remain in the cassette between the layers of plastic belts.

One form of a complete system is shown in FIG. 4, unit 20 being shown in the unloading mode. Material 47 from reel 48 is fed onto conveyor 49. The plastic belt is rewound at the same time onto reel 50. The

material is moved between the first rinse sprays 51 and then between squeeze or extraction rolls 52. The material then passes between the second rinse sprays 53 and then around drying roll 54 which can have belt means 55 for holding the material against heated roll 54. If the material is a bed sheet, towel or the like and is to be folded, it then enters a conventional folder 56 and passes onto a conventional stacker 57.

As mentioned, the system is particularly useful for bed sheets and other flat material. When placed onto the belts, no further handling is needed because the belt holds the material in flat condition in the cassette when being processed. Only a small amount of liquid is used, and there can be precise control of detergent. For example, if a sheet with heavy soil is fed into the eassette, the detergent solution can be strengthened for that piece according to the needs.

The rotation and feeding of the unit can be accurately controlled which may be through automatic controls which sense the condition of the soiled material as it is fed. The detergent solution can be any washing liquid or materiaL'and the term is so meant herein. Also, it is conceivable that other than a cylindrical means can be employed.

It should be apparent that variations may be made in details of construction and the process without departin g from the spirit of the invention except as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a soiled material washing apparatus, the combination including substantially impervious belt means, belt receiving means upon which said belt means can be wound with soiled material to be treated between layers of said belt means on said belt receiving means, and washing liquid feed means for feeding said liquid to said material on said belt means.

2. In a soiled material washing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said belt means is of plastic material.

3. In a soiled material washing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said belt receiving means has a compressible core which is compressible on its top by the weight of the belt means and soiled material.

4. In a soiled material washing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the belt receiving means is rotatable. 5. In a soiled material washing apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the belt receiving means is cylindrical with a compressible core.

6. In a soiled material washing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the belt means has liquid restricting means adjacent the edges thereof.

7. In a soiled material washing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the belt means has embossme nts.

8. In a soiled material washing apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the edges of the belt means have longitudinal sealing ridges.

9. In a soiled material washing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and including means for loading soiled material onto said belt means as it is wound onto the receiving means.

10. In a soiled material washing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the belt receiving means with soiled material is connectable with rinse means, and means for unloading said material and passing it through said rinse means.

1 1. In a soiled material washing apparatus as claimed in claim l0 wherein the material after it is conveyed past said rinse means is passed through an extraction and drying means.

12. In a soiled material washing apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the material after passing through said drying means is fed to a folder.

13. In a material treating apparatus, the combination including substantially impervious belt means, belt receiving means upon which said belt means can be wound with material to be treated between layers of said belt means on said belt receiving means, and means for feeding liquid to said material on said belt means. 

1. In a soiled material washing apparatus, the combination including substantially impervious belt means, belt receiving means upon which said belt means can be wound with soiled material to be treated between layers of said belt means on said belt receiving means, and washing liquid feed means for feeding said liquid to said material on said belt means.
 2. In a soiled material washing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said belt means is of plastic material.
 3. In a soiled material washing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said belt receiving means has a compressible core which is compressible on its top by the weight of the belt means and soiled material.
 4. In a soiled material washing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the belt receiving means is rotatable.
 5. In a soiled material washing apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the belt receiving means is cylindrical with a compressible core.
 6. In a soiled material washing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the belt means has liquid restricting means adjacent the edges thereof.
 7. In a soiled material washing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the belt means has embossments.
 8. In a soiled material washing apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the edges of the belt means have longitudinal sealing ridges.
 9. In a soiled material washing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and including means for loading soiled mateRial onto said belt means as it is wound onto the receiving means.
 10. In a soiled material washing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the belt receiving means with soiled material is connectable with rinse means, and means for unloading said material and passing it through said rinse means.
 11. In a soiled material washing apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the material after it is conveyed past said rinse means is passed through an extraction and drying means.
 12. In a soiled material washing apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the material after passing through said drying means is fed to a folder.
 13. In a material treating apparatus, the combination including substantially impervious belt means, belt receiving means upon which said belt means can be wound with material to be treated between layers of said belt means on said belt receiving means, and means for feeding liquid to said material on said belt means. 